Latch



D."I7,"1957 H. A. STORCH 2,815,787

LATCH Filed NOV. 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IN VENTOR.

AUTO/FIVE) United States Patent LATCH Harold A. Storch, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 28, 1955, Serial No. 549,416

4 Claims. (Cl. 292-126) This invention relates to latches and more particularly to a latch mechanism for slidable windows of automotive vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism of sturdy yet inexpensive construction and especially suited for mass production.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism for sliding window with a minimum of exposed parts and to so locate these exposed parts with reference to the window and frame as to avoid endangering the passengers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism in which the latching pawl latches on movement of the window to closed position and unlatches on movement of the operating handle in window opening direction.

Two embodiments of the invention are shown wherein the latch mechanism includes a supporting framework secured to the forward edge of a sliding window. A handle, pawl and spring are supported in the framework and the operating end of the handle and the latching end of the pawl protrude from the framework just short of the forward edge of the window so that the passengers arms will not be caught thereon. The handle operates the pawl and provides a grasp for sliding the window and the pawl catches a striker plate below the window garnish molding to lock the window. The handle and pawl have a pivotal lost motion connection and the spring normally biases the pawl and handle to latched position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a station wagon, partially broken away to present an interior elevation of the inventive latch on a right rear quarter sliding window;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, partially broken away interior elevation of a preferred embodiment of the latch;

Figure 3 is a partial section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a partial section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a partial section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged, partially broken away interior elevation of another embodiment of the latch; and

Figure 7 is a partial section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the latch 10 includes a U-shaped supporting plate 12 resiliently secured to the forward edge of a rear quarter horizontally sliding window 14 of a station wagon 16. A striker plate 18, secured to the door pillar 20 by fasteners 22, carries a pair of spaced tab catches 24. Only one catch 24 is necessary for latch operation, the other catch being provided for 2,816,787 Patented Dec. 17, 1957 striker plate interchangeability between the right window 14 and left window 26. A garnish molding 28 conceals the striker plate 18 and also conceals the forward portion of the latch 10 with the window 14 in closed po-' sition.

An internally threaded thimble or pivot pin 30 projects through an aperture in a depressed portion 32 of the support plate 12 and secures a cup-like cover 34 to the plate by way of a screw 36. The cover 34 is provided with spaced tongues 38 around its edge that are received in complemental slots in the support plate 12 to retain the cover against rotation. A key-like pawl 40 having a toothed end 42, an intermediate shank 44 and a hollow cylindrical end 46 is pivotally supported on the pivot pin 30 for latching engagement with the striker catch 24. A coil spring 48 secured at one end by a struck-out tab 50 to the support plate 12 and in an aperture 51 in the pawl shank 44 at the other end biases the pawl to latched position. The front and rear faces of the pawl tooth 42 and the striker catch 24 are inclined with respect to the pawl pivot point to permit the tooth to ride over the catch on closing movement of the window and to prevent such ride-over on opening movement of the window without manual rotational release of the tooth.

A handle 52 has a grip 54 at one end and is pivotally supported at its other end on the cylindrical end 46 of the pawl 40 by means of a niche in its other end that includes an edge slot or opening 56 of greater extent or width than the width of the pawl shank 44 and a cylindrical bore 58 that embraces the pawl end 46. The pawl tooth 42 projects through a cover opening 59 and the intermediate portion of the handle 52 passes through a cover opening 60. One side of the handle 52 abuts the front edge of the cover opening 60 on movement in forward direction to close the window. Rearward movement of the handle 52 unlatches the pawl tooth 42 from the striker catch 24 and then opens the window through engagement of the other side of the handle with the rear edge of the cover opening 60.

The arrangement provides a pivotal lost motion connection between the handle and pawl to allow latching to take place without rearward movement of the handle, and it should be noted that the handle and pawl are normally maintained in forward position by the coil spring 48. The pawl tooth 42 and handle grip 54 are located slightly behind the glass edge to avoid catching the arm of a passenger. The cover 34 retains the handle 52 in axial position on the pawl end 46 and also retains the pawl end in axial position on the pivot pin 30. A tab 62 may be struck up from the support plate 12 to aid in locating the coil spring 48 during latch assembly.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 for an alternate latch embodiment, it will be noted that the elements are quite similar to those shown in Figures 2 to 5 and that prime reference characters are used where applicable. The handle 52 is pivoted on a pivot pin 64 and handle bore 66 instead of being pivoted on the pawl 40 and the pawl is pivotally supported for limited rotational movement in the handle niche 56', 58' that is spaced forward of the handle bore 66. An additional screw 68 may be threaded in a support plate boss 70 as a supplemental cover retention means and to locate the coil spring 48' on latch assembly.

The latch is especially suited for economical mass production as the various elements can, for the most part, be formed by simple stamping, drawing or die casting operations. The number of elements are held to a minimum by having each element serve a plurality of functions wherever possible, for example, the support plate 12 mounts the other latch elements and also secures the latch assembly to the forward edge of the glass, and the struckup tabs and the notches locate the coil spring and retain "ice 3 the cover against rotation. An important advantage is afforded in assembly simplification and in reducing accuracy requirements by pivotally interconnecting the pawl and handle members so that the single support plate pivot pin can carry both members. a 7

While the .preferred'embodiment of the invention has been described fully in order to explain the principles of the invention, it is to be understood that modifications of structure may be made by the exercise of skill in the art within the scope of the invention which is not to be regarded as limited by the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

I claim:

. 1. A latch for sliding window constructions comprising a latch support, a handle member pivotally supported for movement to open and closed positions, a pawl member pivotally supported for movement to latched and unlatched'positions, a pivotconnection between the latch support and one of the members :to provide the pivotal support for that member, a pivot connection between the members to provide the pivotal support for the other one of the members, a spring connection between the latch support and the pawl member biasing that member to latched position, and a lost motion connection between the members providing positive engagement therebetween on movement of the handle member from closed position to pivot the pawl member from latched position against the bias of the spring connection and permitting disenpivot connection between the members comprises .a cylindrical end on the pawl member and a complemental bore in the handle member receiving said end andwherein the lost motion connection between the members comprises a shank on the --pawl member extending radially from said end and an opening in the handle member of greater extent than said shank' and receiving said shank whereby the members have limited pivotal movement with respect to each other.

References Citedin ihe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 315,845 vScott Apr. 14, 1885 945,540 Howard Ian. 4, 19.10 975,037. Hettwer -Nov. 8, 1910 2,523,727 .Sevison Sept. 26,4950 .1952

2,586,500 'Axe :Feb; :19, 

